RPJ...
- Thread starter Fingon
- Start date
No doubt. But it isn't over. There is a lawsuit filed. And Gov. Justice is in the camp of not consolidating to the point of even specifically mentioning it in his State of the State address. He rebuilt one of the gyms in Richwood with his own money-brought Nehlen and Pruett to town to dedicate it. He'll go to bat for Richwood.
Then maybe he can put up his on money for school construction. Consolidation sucks on one hand, but makes financial sense on the other.
FEMA money has been earmarked for three schools which were destroyed due to flooding-two in Richwood and one in Summersville. What the BOE wants to do defies FEMA policy on replacement of the two schools affected in Richwood. The other side of Nicholas Co sees an opportunity to build them a new mega school two miles from the other high school which already exists in the county. If that happens, kids in Richwood will have a 45-60 minute bus ride every day. It would be an injustice not to re-build the schools in the community where they have been located for 50+ years. I hope Justice continues to fight this proposed consolidation.
I hate consolidation - forcing kids to drive/bus 45-60 minutes away is ridiculous. Although I don't see an answer though for those schools/counties that can't keep things running due to money without consolidation.
The state still has to cover 10% to 25% of the total replacement cost, which thanks to Federal Funding will require the use of Davis Bacon wages, which will add 20%-30% to the costs of the projects, taking away from the schools themselves.
It sucks all around, but the state is in a major financial bind. And spending 20-30 million (at least) on new schools to service fewer and fewer students may not be the most financially logical way to go.
WV needs to plan on the booming economy that Trump is going to bring back. Coal jobs will be booming again and who would want to move to a coalfield town where their kid has to bus an hour away to school-especially in the winter?
The governor sarcastically said in his SoS address that it would be cheaper for the State to build one big high school in Flatwoods and bus every kid there. 3 hours max ride. Would save a lot of money.
Some things are more important than money. Kids being educated in small classrooms in a community setting where there is convenient access to band practice, sports practice, chess club meetings, concerts, etc. not requiring an hour drive. I'm hopeful that the lawsuit will bear fruit and if that fails, I hope the State BOE and Justice will kill this. All have made statements critical of this specific consolidation. Richwood suffered millions in damages due to the flood. Now the county wants to take away its schools further punishing the city. It's just not right.
....and, they are going to build a new school regardless. The question is location.
It would be cheaper. Much cheaper. A brand new school, 20-40 million. 5 brand new schools, 200 million. State's responsibility for those schools, potentially 25 million. Current state deficit. 500 million.
Now you can be sarcastic and flippant about which Presidential candidate won the state, or the solutions that might help the state, or how you attract business to the state, but those are REAL problems this state has to maneuver and figure out.
Not, it's not right that a kid might have to ride a bus for an hour. Mine spend 30 minutes on one in the morning and 30 minutes on one in the afternoon and we live 5-10 minutes from the school, but if we want to ensure a future for those kids in this state then we have got to fix the economic problems this state faces.
Hardy county recently re-did 2 high schools. Moorefield High and East Hardy. The country raised about 20 million in bonds, the SBA put in another 20 million. Dramatically renovated those two schools.... beautifully designed.... combined they have less students than my son's middle school here in the eastern panhandle.
And those 2 schools, less than a 15 minute drive from one another.
This state has GOT to start rethinking school, school construction, etc. and how our geography plays into it.